Collapsible receptacle



June 27, 1933. G B .NGERSOLL 1,915,421

COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE Filed July 14 1928 INVENTOR.

Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT o1=1=1cE GEORGE 1B. INGERSOLL, OF DEARB OBN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO ELLA I. INGERSOLL,

' F DEARBORN, MICHIGAN r Application flied July 14,

My invention relates to improvements in' I collapsible receptacles having means for controlling the flow of contents therefrom; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a dispensing device having no removable or exteriorly moving parts; second, to provide a device having an internal valve manually operable from "the outslde. of its collapsible member; third, to provide adevice having a manually operated valve located wholly within itself and with no exterior portions; fourth, to provide a dev1ce having sanitary dispensing features; fifth, to provide a device having a valve operableby pressure upon a comparatively small portion of its collapsible surface; and sixth, to provide a dispensing device having a manual control over its inherent internal pressure.

I attain these objects by the mechanism 11- lustrated in accompany drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete receptacle ready for use; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the complete receptacle ready for use; Fig. 3, an end view of the receptacle; Fig. 4, a sectional view on the hue H, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a sectional view on the 11118 5-0, Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a side view of the sl dable member; Fig. 7, an elevation of the slidable member; Fig. 8, an end view of the gu de member; Fig. 9, a side elevat on of the gu de member; Fig. 10, a. side elevation of the gulde member; and Fig. 11, a View displaying the receptacle in operation.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body 1 of the receptacle 1 s made of flexible material as is usual in ordinary commercial collapsible devices and is readily compressible. The head'2 is made of sufficiently stiff metal to form a housing for valve parts and an extension for use as a nozzle 3. The body 1 is suitably attached or formed to the head 2 and has its other end 4 flattened and closed by rolling in the usual manner, according to the amount of contents in the receptacle. The slidable member 5 has an opening 6 which is adapted to register with the discharge'iopening 7 in the end of the nozzle 3. The slidable member 5 is retaipgl and guided by the fixed 1928. Serial No. 292,897. 7

member 8 Whichfmay be pressed into the hollow nozzle 3 thus forming a guide space 9 between the end walls of the nozzle 3 and the fixed member 8. The fixed member 8 is also provided with an opening 10 which registers withthe opening 6 in the slidable member 5 when the slidable member 5 is moved to permit the discharge of the contents of the receptacle. The fixed member 8 may be provided with an indented surface 11 for retaining one end of the spring 12 while a similar indentation 13 may be provided in the slidable member 5 for retaining the other end of the s ring 12. A similar indentation 14 may fie provided in the wall of the nozzle 3 for engaging the indentation 11 in the fixed member 8, thus retaining the fixed member 8 in the nozzle 3. The fixed member 8 may also be provided with ribs 15 for guiding the slidable member 5. The slidable member 5 has an extension 16 having asurface 17 which engages the collapsible body 1 suficiently to slightly bulge the body 1 as at 18. The fixed member 8 may be made to fit within the nozzle for more than half the inside diameter of the nozzle thus preventing the fixed member from cocking in the nozzle when pressure is applied to the slidable member 5. The slidable member 5 may be also formed to fit the inside diameter of the nozzle as at 19. In Fig. 11, the receptacle is shown de positing its contents on the tooth brush 20. The body 1 is rolled up at its end 4 until pressure is built up in the receptacle or a slight pressure may be exerted on the rear end of the body 1 by the hand in which it is grasped. Then a slight pressure on the bulge 18 by a finger 21 will cause the slidable member 5 to move to the position, as shown by dotted lines 22, when the openings 10, 6, and 7 will register allowing the contents to flow out as shown in Fig. 11. The end 23 may be made of suflicient length to contact with the inside wall of the nozzle 3 when the openings 10, 6, and 7 are registered, thus forming a stop for the slidable member 5 when operated by the finger 21. As soon as a suflicient amount of the contents has left thereceptacle, the release of the finger pressure will allow the spring l2 to force the slidable member 5 back to 1ts orlgmal position when it will again bulge the body 1 as at 18. The slidable member 5 being located close to the front end wall of the tube 1 will allow for the use of practically all of the contents of the receptacle. It is to be noted that th spring 12 will have to dis lace but a small amount of the contents 0 the receptacle when it returns the slidable member 5 to its original position.

It is also to be noted that my device does away with the removal and frequent loss of the usual threaded cap on the nozzle of the prevalent type of collapsible receptacle. It is this removal and loss which causes the, ordinary collapsible tube to become the most unsanitary thing in household use through the collection of unused contents lodging on the nozzle, this unused portion making a splendid lodging for all kinds of germs.

The presence of such germ infected ac, cumulation on such things as tooth and toilet articles constitutes a grave dan r to health. In my device no part of the ands need touch the nozzle with the result that no danger from germs attends the use of my device even though some is used by different parties. If any of the contents lodge around the opening in the nozzle, when the finger pressure is removed from the spot 18, the entire nozzle end of the tube may be held under the faucet, the running water immediately removing all particles of the contents.

I claim:

1. The combination of a receptacle having a collapsible wall and a nozzle formed with an opening, and a slidable member formed with an opening for registry with the opening in the nozzle of said receptacle, said slidable member having a button portion contacting with a remotely located portion of the inside surface of the collapsible wall of said receptacle, said slidable member being wholly enclosed within said receptacle.

2. The combination of a receptacle having a collapsible wall and a nozzle formed with an end opening, and a member slidably operated under manually exerted pressure, said member being contained within said receptacle and having contact with a portion of the collapsible wall remotely located from the nozzle of said receptacle, said member thereby controlling the fiow of contents from said receptacle.

3. The combination of a receptacle having a collapsible wall and a nozzle formed with an end opening, a slidable member for controlling the flow of contents from said receptacle, said slidable member contacting with the collapsible wall of said receptacle, and means for returning said slidable member to a position whereby the contents of said receptacle are prevented from flowing therefrom, said means lying transversely within said nozzle and parallel with said slidable member.

4. In a collapsible receptacle having a nozzle with an opening, a member mounted within the nozzle of the colla sible receptacle, 2, slidable member mounted tween the nozzle of the collapsible receptacle and said member within the nozzle, said slidable member having a surface in contact with the collapsible wall of the receptacle, and means for re turning said slidable member to a position whereby the contents of the collapsible receptacle are prevented from escaping therefrom.

5. In a receptacle, the combination-of enclosing walls provided with a single aperture therein, said enclosing walls being further,

provided with a designated portion for the application of manual pressure, and means for opening and closing the single aperture of said enclosing walls, said means engaging the inside surface of the enclosing walls adj acent said designated portion for the application of manual pressure.

6. In a receptacle, the combination of a collapsible member having a nozzle provided with an opening, a movable member for covering and uncovering the opening in the nozzle of said collapsible member, said movable member having an end contacting with and displacing a portion of the wall of said collapsible member, a portion of said movable member being contained between the walls of said collapsible receptacle, and automatic means for operating said movable member to close the opening of the nozzle of said collapsible receptacle, said automatic means further operating said movable member to cause said portion of the wall of said collapsible receptacle to return to a non-collapsed position.

7. In a collapsible receptacle having a discharge orifice, valve means for controlling the flow of the contents therefrom through said orifice, said valve means having no portions extending through any portions of said receptacle, said valve means'being provided with a button portion to permit said valve means to be manually moved in said receptacle, said button portion of said valve means engaging the inside surface of the wall portions of'said receptacle, said button port-ion of said valve means further exerting a pressure against the wall portion of said receptacle to cause a collapsed portion of said receptacle to assume a non-collapsed position.

8. In'a receptacle provided with a collapsible wall together with a discharge opening, valve means for opening and closing the discharge, opening of said receptacle, said valve means being provided with a portion adapted to engage the collapsible wall of said receptacle, said portion being connected with said valve means and adapted to move therewith, said portion thereby moving a portion of the collapsible wall of said receptacle from a collapsed position to a non-collapsed position when said valve means is being operated.

9. The combination of a receptacle having a collapsible wall, a valve member havin a button portion covered by the collapsi le wall of said receptacle, said button portion engaging the collapsible wall portion of said receptacle to permit manual operation of said valve member from the outside surface of the collapsible wall, and'means for actuating said valve member against the collapsible,

wall of said receptacle.

' 10. The combination of a receptacle having a collapsible wall together with an apertured nozzle, a Valve member for opening and closing the apertured nozzle of said receptacle, said valve member having a portion extending beyond the apertured nozzle into the interior of said receptacle, said portion having a surface engaging an inside surface of the collapsible wall of said receptacle, and means for moving said valve member to open and close the apertured nozzle of said receptacle,

said means-further actuating said valve member to move the collapsible wall of the receptacle.

GEORGE B. INGERSOLL. 

